Russet Rain
by Deya Amaya
Summary: The mage captures the heart of a Desert Rose.


A/N: This story is written in collaboration with Obsidian Buterfly and can be considered a companion fic to Patchwork Hitsuzen.  
Disclaimer: Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicles and all it's characters belong to CLAMP and Madiha belongs to Obsidian.

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Firelight had a way of making things seem sensual, thought Fai. Even as he watched, simple objects like liquor bottles and earthen bowls gleamed like live beings, adding a flavor of mystery to the ambience. The dimension travelers had encountered a group of friendly gypsy travelers in the middle of a dessert. For a few days they would travel the same direction. At nights, they cozied up with the caravan full of rambunctious gypsy. Moving in a relentless pace, they'd reached the end of the dessert at the foot of a range of mountains. Arable land and lush, sprawling forests hid behind the rocky cliffs and the travelers rejoiced.

Tonight was the last of fifteen or so more that the two groups would spend together. All of them were aware of the fact. As a result, Syaoran has retreated to the back of the group and sat with the gnarled faced elder, Anan'ke, trying his best to cram as much information about them as he could in his the start of the evening the women flocked around Fai and Kurogane, dragging them off to take part in their dance. Fai happily freestyled, showing off the dances he picked up from many different worlds and making a mixture of them. The men and women laughed at him and kurogane firmly facepalmed, muttering obscenities and taking refuge a safe distance away from the fire.

The careless singing and dancing were over now. The late hours of the night was upon them. The children and the elderly already asleep, the fire was surrounded only by women now. The men watching from afar, drinking local liquor. Kurogane was joined by an excited, but quiet Syaoran. Fai stood leaning against a tree somewhere in the middle, out of breath but not quite ready to stop dancing yet.

But the liberating feeling of dancing wasn't what he was after. No. He was busy watching "her".

He'd noticed her the first day, noticed how she kept her distance from them. Cautious, but polite. But she had warmed up to Syaoran quickly, and started to pour ale for Kurogane and Fai from the third night. From the fifth night he started noticing the little furtive glances sent his way.

Her eyes started being more openly inviting as she noticed him looking back. She would reward him with smiles when she was sure no one else was looking. She started being more daring as the days progressed. flowers and small fruits would be thrown at him during dinner. Once she and a group of girls accidentally saw him and Syaoran coming out of bath from an oasis. The other girls had giggled and ran away, but she lingered.

Her eyes followed droplets of waters as they travelled down his his to trace his lips, over his collar bones to glide further down his torso. When her eyes came back up to her, the liquid desire in her amber eyes struck him speechless. She'd fled then, and he'd let her.

But not tonight.

Tonight she won't escape, he mused as she left her shawl back on her seat, getting ready for a new dance.

"Niiji no wayeh grats. . . Garivahn. . ."

Her body swayed with the slow tune, orange light sliding over caramel skin.

"Niiji no wayeh grats. . . Garivahn. . ."

Now other females joined in the song, leaving their seat one by one to join her, falling in formation. The music being playing in a guitar and a battered tambourine picked up pace.

"Niiji no wayeh grats, garikenah!  
Lalala Lai, lalala Lai, lalala Lai laaaaaa. . ."

This was the interesting part. Fai observed as one by one, women broke off from the dance to gently coax a man of their choice in joining her. When it was time for her, she turned to Fai and extended her hand. Her eyes no longer inviting, but forelorn. He grasped her hand and pulled her to him, making the glass bangles tinkle merrily.

"Jabuji nitou  
Viripartem goerats  
Diripartem goerats"

"A song of happiness, and yet you frown?" Fai breathed in her ear. She met his eyes with disdain in her own.  
"This is not a happy song, traveler," she murmured, averting her gaze.

Niiji no wayeh grats, garikenah!  
Lalala Lai, lalala Lai, lalala Lai laaaaaa. . ."

"Madiha. . ." he swerved them away from the fire, still dancing, the tune still thrumming in his ears. She didn't object, following him deeper into the woods. In his haste he nearly crashed them into the water. The still water reflected the moon, made it easier to see the longing in her eyes.

He kissed her.

She didn't flinch, didn't slap him, didn't hesitate in kissing him back. By the time he came up for air, her fingers had loosened his ponytail and his hands were lost in the folds of her robe.

Catching her breath before he even started thinking coherently, she pulled him down by his collar and claimed his mouth. Fai bit back a groan. At this rate they wouldn't get any talking done at all.

With some difficulty he managed to pin her wrists above her head. The liquid gold look she gave at that ripped an audible groan from him.

"Madiha. . . We need to talk."

"You're leaving." it wasn't a question.

"This isn't right," he hissed in frustration, "I can't give you what you want." he took a step back. She caught his arm before he could leave.

"I want this."

"You might never see me again," Fai murmured, threading his fingers through her hair.

"And I just might," she stated, leaning into his touch. . "can't we just forget about tomorrow?" she said again, pulling him closer. "I want this. Don't you?"."

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The small spring and the adjacent pond was a blessing after spending days in the dessert. Madiha had wordlessly invited him as she dipped into the shallow water and he followed her into it. Treaded water till he managed to corner her against a collection of rocks scrubbed smooth with water.

Her fingertips danced along the edge of his black full-sleeved, high neck shirt. "I was afraid the heat would choke you to death any moment. How do you even wear these?"

Fai offered her a mischeivious grin in return, eyes lingering on her unbound hair as he spoke. "Now that you mention it, they do feel rather stuffy. You wouldn't mind helping me out, would you?"

A dark eyebrow rose in question, coy smile pulling up rosy lips as she trailed her fingers up his sleeve. "Why wear it if it's so bothersome?"

"They offer good protection from the sun," Fai grinned, skimming his fingers along the exposed skin of her back.

"Is that so." she shivered, slowly tugging his shirt free from his pants. She searched his face for a hint of disapproval, pushing up the cloth a few inches when she found none.

He felt her strip him inch after agonizing inch. The wind was cool against his skin and Goosebumps rose along his arms. A muted sigh left her lips as her eyes roamed his pale torso, bleached white under the moonlight.

"Like what you see?" he teased. She lifted heavy lidded eyes to him and very deliberately brushed up against him.  
Her touch sent dizzying waves through his body, making him tremble with need. Noticing the expression on his face, she gave him a satisfied smirk. "It is acceptable." The words slipped past her lips in a drawl.

Fai growled low in his throat and grasped her around the waist. Pulling her flush against him with a single jerk, Fai let her feel exactly what she was doing to him.

Madiha bit her lip, trying and failing to hold back a moan. One of her hands coiled around his neck as the other curiously traced down his torso. He caught her wrist just as it reached the waistband of his jeans.

Holding her in place, he kissed her slowly, gently. Her body relaxed against his, shivering as he eased the cotton robe off her shoulders and brushed silken skin.

Thunder roared overhead as the sky opened up and a a light drizzle soaked then within moments. Fai moved from her lips, trailing kisses along her jaw till he reached her neck. Breathing in her exotic scent, he nuzzled her throat before nipping a sensitive spot along her pulse.

"Fai..." she gasped, threading her fingers through his hair as she pulled him closer. Grasping her by the knees, he hooked her legs around his waist just as she locked her arms around his neck.

He couldn't deny that he wanted her, wanted her so much it was painful.

He pulled away just enough to look into her eyes. He fought for composure at the look in her eyes. _Steady_ , he thought.

"Are you sure about this?"

"Yes."

He closed his eyes and let himself come undone.

The rain had slowed as suddenly as it'd started. Fai could feel the adrenaline fade from his systems and leave a delicious fatigue in his bones. Madiha had fallen asleep, exhausted from their lovemaking. Water droplets slid off her back in sepia rivulets as the downpour finally ceased.

She roused as he brushed wet russet locks out of her face. She yawned sleepily and snuggled closer. Fai sighed and sat up.

"Let's get you back, beautiful."

She stretched and grumble, much like a cat. "So early?"

Fai looked up at the sky, the signs of first light only just showing. "I have to leave in a few hours."

"Take me with you."

He didn't trust his ears. "Pardon?"

"Take me with you, wherever you're going." She said with more force.

He stared at her. "You have a family here, Madiha."

"I don't care!"

Fai touched the side of his face. So young, so naive, he thought. He knew she wasn't serious about leaving. He knew she would regret it as soon as the excitement wore off.

"Don't leave your life for me, Madiha," he pleaded. "You belong here, you belong with your people."

Tears pooled in her eyes as his hand dropped down to her collar bone. He hummed low in his throat, weaving a spell of protection with his fingertips. A small crystal of a bird in flight rested on the chain adorning her neck. She watched in wonder.

"Remember me," he whispered and kissed her once before getting up to leave.

The camp of travellers were asleep when they got back. Fai was dressed in his travel attire even before anyone was awake. If Syaoran noticed Fai's unusual silence, he didn't comment on it. If Fai noticed Kurogane staring at him silently, he pretended not to see.

The gypsy were gathered to bid them farewell as the dimension travellers gathered. Mokona was going through the process of spreading her wings when Fai noticed her at the back of the crowds. He was ready to see accusation in her eyes, but he only saw sad acceptance.

 _Remember me_ , he thought as they left the world and she disappeared from his life.

 _FIN._

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